What I reckon right

[fifthcolumn]

I reckon some time in the next couple of years or so the Russians are going to pin Europe's behind to the energy wall that is their dependence on middle eastern oil. It is thus in the interests of all and sundry to move to nuclear and electric transport as soon as poss because our lot over here are no way no how going to stop driving their big trucks any time soon. They just cannot be convinced.

*Much* more urgent than "peak oil" or "climate change" are the drums of war from the barbarians at the gate.

[Murf]

If petrol prices go up sufficiently then people will be convinced.

In terms of climate change and energy security, renewable usage along with alternative sources of propulsion for transport and a general reduction in electricity usage need to be prioritised immediately.

What would Russia have to gain from war with Europe and its many nuclear powers, backed by a nuclear US? It's not going to happen, nobody needs to wet their knickers about that. Keeping Europe from being crushed by the hegemony of US corporations is more of a pressing problem.

Getting out from the grip of big oil companies (along with big agriculture, big pharma, etc.) is the world's biggest challenge for a long term sustainable future.

[emordnilap]

What would Russia have to gain from war with Europe and its many nuclear powers, backed by a nuclear US?

Nothing of course. We need to bring Russia along with us and stop ridiculing, provoking and humiliating them, a policy going back a long way (thinking of Kennedy as just one example).

[UndercoverElephant]

I reckon some time in the next couple of years or so the Russians are going to pin Europe's behind to the energy wall that is their dependence on middle eastern oil.

They're already doing it, or pretty close. They walked into Crimea and said "this is ours", and the entire western world said "Ermm...guess it is then." They hold all the best cards in their hands, they will use them as and when they see fit, and there is bugger all anyone in Europe can do about it, especially those of us at the furthest end of the pipelines.

[Little John]

I reckon some time in the next couple of years or so the Russians are going to pin Europe's behind to the energy wall that is their dependence on middle eastern oil.

They're already doing it, or pretty close. They walked into Crimea and said "this is ours", and the entire western world said "Ermm...guess it is then." They hold all the best cards in their hands, they will use them as and when they see fit, and there is bugger all anyone in Europe can do about it, especially those of us at the furthest end of the pipelines.

That's not really true UE, so far as I can tell. Though, I am happy to be shown evidence to the contrary. From everything I have read from a large variety of sources, the elected government of Ukraine did a trade deal with Russia that would have meant a closer economic relationship with them and a rejection of the economic/political overtures made to them by Europe. The reason for them doing this was largely based on them owing a bloody fortune to the Russians for gas for which they have been underpaying for years, and even that was at a discounted price. Those back bills, coupled with a sinking economy more generally, in the context of seeing what the Europeans were doing to the likes of Greece and Ireland meant that a deal with Russia, which was not proposing to impose the kind of heinous restructuring package that would come with greater EU integration, meant that the Russian economic deal was by far the least worst option for them.

At which point we coincidentally get wall to wall media coverage over here of a so-called "Ukrainian Spring" where the people of Ukraine were seen to apparently rise up against their [democratically elected] government. I have read many and varied sources and have also been on many forums and have conversed with a fair number Ukrainians and a sizeable majority of them are saying loud and clear that the so-called uprising was pretty much a staged event occurring only in Kiev and that its so-called leaders were a small group of neo-fascists who seemed to be miraculously armed and ready to overtake key government structures in Kiev at a moment's notice. So much so, in fact, that it is entirely reasonable to suspect the hand of Washington and/or the EU was behind that level of organisation.

Meanwhile, pretty much the entire Eastern flank of Ukraine has revolted at what has been essentially a neo-fascist, anti-democratic coup in Kiev. It's true enough that much of the Eastern flank is of Russian ethnic descent. However, that's always been an underlying issue with Ukraine and so nobody should be surprised at their pro-Russian stance. They don't need any encouragement from Russia to revolt. They are motivated to do so all by themselves. So much so in Crimea, of course, that they held a remarkably democratic referendum, given the extraordinary circumstances. The result of which was both voluminous and overwhelming. Around 97% of those that voted (which was at least 75% of the entire adult population) did so in favour of secession. I repeat, 97% voted for cessation. Russia did not annex Crimea. The Crimeans democratically chose to secede from Ukraine in response to a fascist coup in Kiev. During all of this tumultuous process, as well, not a single Russian soldier entered Ukraine other than those already existing there as part of a prior agreement with Russia. Furthermore, not a single Crimean or any other Ukrainians were killed by those Russian soldiers during that time despite several suspicious provocations that have also continued to occur on a regular basis since Crimea's cessation.

In addition to all of the above, although several other regions to the East of Ukraine have indicated they wish to go the way of Crimea, Russia has made it clear to them that while it will certainly intervene, in extremis, to protect the lives of Russian speakers in Eastern Ukraine, it cannot accept further requests for cessation. Hardly the response of a dangerously expansionist Russia wouldn't you agree?

Oh, and one final thing, the MSM over here has conveniently omitted to mention that the EU's attempt to get Ukraine further politically and economically integrated into the EU was and is in direct contravention of a treaty made between Russia, the US and the EU several years ago.

I fail to see, given all of the above and more I have not mentioned, how Russia may be painted as the prime or, indeed, the initial aggressor in any of this.

[UndercoverElephant]

You've clearly done more homework than me on this one, and you might be right about the situation in the Ukraine.

However, the Russians still hold the important cards and they will use them as they see fit. If they turn off the taps, the whole of Europe is f***ed, as things currently stand.

[Little John]

You've clearly done more homework than me on this one, and you might be right about the situation in the Ukraine.

However, the Russians still hold the important cards and they will use them as they see fit. If they turn off the taps, the whole of Europe is ******, as things currently stand.

Oh I don't disagree that the Russians are holding some pretty strong cards and will not hesitate to use them in their self interest and I also have no illusions about Putin. However, I have yet to see any evidence of a contemporary Russia that is dangerously reckless or expansionist in its pursuance of that self interest.

[emordnilap]

Your post summed it up, Steve, pretty much in the way I've understood Pilger's view and one or two others. Well done. When it comes to 'suspecting' the US's intervention, I think it's pretty much a given.

[raspberry-blower]

You've clearly done more homework than me on this one, and you might be right about the situation in the Ukraine.

However, the Russians still hold the important cards and they will use them as they see fit. If they turn off the taps, the whole of Europe is ******, as things currently stand.

Oh I don't disagree that the Russians are holding some pretty strong cards and will not hesitate to use them in their self interest and I also have no illusions about Putin. However, I have yet to see any evidence of a contemporary Russia that is dangerously reckless or expansionist in its pursuance of that self interest.

I strongly suspect that Russia's intention to ditch the Petrodollar that was earlier highlighted here and has now come to pass as Gazprom prepares to trade in Yuan is the reason behind it all.

This deal is the equivalent of hammering a copper nail into a tree - it will ultimately kill the Petrodollar for once and for all

[Little John]

You've clearly done more homework than me on this one, and you might be right about the situation in the Ukraine.

However, the Russians still hold the important cards and they will use them as they see fit. If they turn off the taps, the whole of Europe is ******, as things currently stand.

Oh I don't disagree that the Russians are holding some pretty strong cards and will not hesitate to use them in their self interest and I also have no illusions about Putin. However, I have yet to see any evidence of a contemporary Russia that is dangerously reckless or expansionist in its pursuance of that self interest.

I strongly suspect that Russia's intention to ditch the Petrodollar that was earlier highlighted here and has now come to pass as Gazprom prepares to trade in Yuan is the reason behind it all.

This deal is the equivalent of hammering a copper nail into a tree - it will ultimately kill the Petrodollar for once and for all

That's a fascinating article and certainly make sense. It's also surprising, given the seismic consequences for the USA, that there has been more or less media silence about it. Then again less and less is surprising me these days. There has always been a dissonance between the everyday lives of citizens and the macro-economic/political machinations of state. But, it seems to me that these days that dissonance is being stretched to breaking point. That is to say, as the gap between the facts of life as we experience them and the lies of life as we are fed them grows, my fear of all of this ending only very very badly grows commensurately.

[clv101]

...as the gap between the facts of life as we experience them and the lies of life as we are fed them grows...

There's always been a sizeable gap but it really does seem to be widening over the last year or so - a lot of the 'mainstream media' is just sounding like a parody of itself these days.

[UndercoverElephant]

You've clearly done more homework than me on this one, and you might be right about the situation in the Ukraine.

However, the Russians still hold the important cards and they will use them as they see fit. If they turn off the taps, the whole of Europe is ******, as things currently stand.

Oh I don't disagree that the Russians are holding some pretty strong cards and will not hesitate to use them in their self interest and I also have no illusions about Putin. However, I have yet to see any evidence of a contemporary Russia that is dangerously reckless or expansionist in its pursuance of that self interest.

I strongly suspect that Russia's intention to ditch the Petrodollar that was earlier highlighted here and has now come to pass as Gazprom prepares to trade in Yuan is the reason behind it all.

This deal is the equivalent of hammering a copper nail into a tree - it will ultimately kill the Petrodollar for once and for all

Just for the record, copper nails do not harm trees.

http://naturenet.net/blogs/2006/06/25/g ... pper-nail/

[RenewableCandy]

Erm, why only gents? The rest of us don't pee, or wot?

[vtsnowedin]

Erm, why only gents? The rest of us don't pee, or wot?

Well there was little Johnny at a picnic that was about five and had to go and was told to go find a place in the bushes like his big brothers had showed him. All was proceeding as planned when little Mary also about five came around the tree and saw what Johnny was about. She exclaimed "My isn't that a handy little gadget to take on a picnic."

[RenewableCandy]

There exists a little-known technique, popular 'til Victorian times, whereby a lass can do likewise. As seen in films as diverse as "Rob Roy" and "The Full Monty". Yes, really